Scaevola plant named ‘DSCAWINDST’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant named ‘DSCAWINDST’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; relatively broad leaves; early and freely flowering habit; white and purplish blue bi-colored flowers; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Scaevola aemula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DSCAWINDST’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant, botanically known as Scaevola aemula and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘DSCAWINDST’.

The new Scaevola plant a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, spreading and early-flowering Scaevola plants with numerous attractive bi-colored flowers.

The new Scaevola plant originated from an open-pollination in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel in March, 2015 of a proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula identified by the code number 14-1050, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Scaevola plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel on Mar. 15, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Scaevola plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel since Mar. 15, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Scaevola plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Scaevola have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DSCAWINDST’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DSCAWINDST’ as a new and distinct Scaevola plant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Relatively broad leaves.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. White and purplish blue bi-colored flowers.     -   6. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Scaevola differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are more vigorous than and not as         compact as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola have darker leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the new Scaevola have white         and purplish blue bi-colored flowers whereas plants of the         female parent selection have lavender-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the Scaevola aemula ‘Wesscaedia’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,431. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of the ‘Wesscaedia’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are more mounding than and not as         trailing as plants of ‘Wesscaedia’.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola have shorter internodes than         plants of ‘Wesscaedia’.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola flower earlier than plants of         ‘Wesscaedia’.

Plants of the new Scaevola can also be compared to plants of the Scaevola aemula ‘Brillant’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,099. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of the ‘Brillant’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are more mounding than and not as         trailing as plants of ‘Brillant’.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola are not as vigorous as plants of         ‘Brillant’.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola have smaller flowers than plants         of ‘Brillant’.     -   4. Plants of the new Scaevola and ‘Brillant’ differ in flower         color as plants of the new Scaevola have white and purplish blue         bi-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Brillant’ have blue         purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Scaevola plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Scaevola plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘DSCAWINDST’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘DSCAWINDST’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 13-cm containers in a greenhouse and finished in an outdoor nursery in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel and under cultural practices typical of commercial Scaevola production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C. Plants were eight weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Scaevola aemula ‘DSCAWINDST’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Scaevola             aemula identified as code number 14-1050, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of             Scaevola aemula, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 to 21 days at             temperatures about 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 to 30 days at             temperatures about 16° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 to 40             days at temperatures about 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 to 50             days at temperatures about 16° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading and mounding             plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 25             lateral branches per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 45 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 20 cm to 23 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Pilose.         -   Color.—Close to 146B becoming closer to 200B with             development. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Runcinate.         -   Apex.—Blunt or emarginate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Dentate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Hispid; rugged.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Pilose; rugged.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Texture: Hispid; rugged. Color: Close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and shape.—Zygomorphic, semi-circular,             fan-shaped flowers with five petals fused at the base to             form a tubular flower throat; flower throat open along the             upper surface exposing the reproductive organs.         -   Flower arrangement and quantity.—Solitary sessile flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; flowers mostly horizontal;             freely flowering habit with typically about 150 flowers per             plant.         -   Flowering time.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering after about four to six weeks after planting; long             flowering period, plants flower continuously from spring to             autumn in Israel.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about 20 days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Fusiform. Color: Close to 142C.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 3 cm by 2 cm. Tube length: About             1.2 cm. Tube diameter: About 5 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five, fused at base. Length,             beyond tube: About 1.3 cm. Width, beyond tube: About 4 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Center, close to NN155B;             towards the margins, close to 93C. When opening, lower             surface: Center, close to 2D and 155B; towards the margins,             close to 93C. Fully opened, upper surface: Center, close to             155C; towards the margins, close to 94C; color does not             change with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Center, close to 2D and 155C; towards the margins, close to             94B; with development, color towards the margins becoming             closer to 94C. Throat: Close to N144A; becoming closer to 2B             to 2C with development. Tube: Close to 2C; becoming closer             to 2D with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Two short and one elongated.             Length, short sepals: About 7 mm. Length, elongated sepal:             About 2 cm. Width, short sepals: About 2 mm. Width,             elongated sepal: About 9 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Hispid, rugged. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 147A to 147B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             Five. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to             2C. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal.             Anther color: Close to 183A. Pollen: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 9D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style             color: Close to 187A. Stigma shape: Oblate. Stigma color:             Close to 183D. Ovary color: Close to 138B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: One. Length: About 4 mm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: Close to 202A. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Scaevola have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 45° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Scaevola have     not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Scaevola plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Scaevola plant named ‘DSCAWINDST’ as illustrated and described. 